


At First Sight

by ThirtySixSaveFiles



Series: Walk Walk Fashion Baby [1]
Category: Borderlands, Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Pre-Relationship, unrealistic depictions of the modeling industry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 19:59:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7859113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThirtySixSaveFiles/pseuds/ThirtySixSaveFiles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack and Rhys' first photo shoot doesn't go exactly the way either of them had anticipated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At First Sight

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to [Jillus](http://jillus.tumblr.com) and [SleazyFemmeDad](http://sleazyfemmedad.tumblr.com) for helping me sort out how this thing ended!

When Fiona books him with some no-name dickbag for the Galetti spring lookbook, Jack is  _ pissed. _

“Who the fuck is this? I’ve never heard of him,” Jack complains, flipping through the portfolio. “Is this revenge for the thing with Jakobs? It is, isn’t it.”

“Believe it or not, there  _ are _ people you don’t know, Lawrence,” Fiona says dryly. “Talented ones, even.”

Jack snorts at that, but as he slows down and pages through the portfolio more carefully, he has to admit that she’s right. Whatever-his-name-is certainly has an eye for composition and lighting, and Jack grudgingly admits that there are some not half-bad shots in there.

He closes the portfolio with a  _ snap _ . “Fine. I’ll do it.” As if he really has a choice - Fiona owns his ass, as far as the agency is concerned. Calling him in and going over the details in person is a courtesy he appreciates, and one of the reasons he likes working with her. As his booking agent she could have easily just handed down the dictates of when and where, but Fiona likes to discuss arrangements with her models in person. Jack likes that; likes to feel involved in the process.

Except for now, when he’s apparently cut out of it. Jack trusts Fiona’s judgement (although he’d never say that out loud), but that doesn’t mean that being handed down to some baby photographer on his first big shoot doesn’t feel like an insult.

“You know you could call me Jack, it wouldn’t hurt you.” Jack stands and tosses the portfolio back on Fiona’s desk. This is an old argument, and it makes her smile. “Why does Tim get to be Tim when I’m stuck with Lawrence?”

“Because I like Tim,” Fiona says, and he grins at the way she doesn’t give an inch. “You I’m still on the fence about.”

Jack huffs, but it’s the same answer she’s given him since they’ve started working together and he hadn’t really expected anything different. On his way out of her office he pauses in the doorway and looks back.

“What’s this kid’s name again? I’ve already forgotten.”

Fiona rolls her eyes at him. “It’s  _ Rhys _ . Don’t break him; I’ve already fielded three calls about how  _ difficult _ you are this month, and it’s only the 12th.”

Jack can feel his grin get sharper. “No promises.”

* * *

The first thing Jack notices about this new photographer is that he is an absolute infant, with a freaking stupid beanie perched on top of a mess of brown hair that almost certainly took careful styling to look that artfully disheveled.

(Jack knows. He does the same.)

The second thing Jack notices as the kid turns to face him more fully - and actually  _ kid _ is something of a misnomer, up close it’s clear that he’s not that much younger than Jack - is that he has lips that were absolutely made for sucking dick. Jack’s, preferably.

“Mr. Lawrence! It’s a pleasure to work with you,” Rhys extends a hand for him to shake and that is just  _ adorable _ . Jack takes it, bemused, and gets a surprisingly strong grip in return.

There’s also no way he can leave a wide-open opportunity like that alone. “Oh, I’m sure it will be,” he purrs, pulling on the hand in his grip and stepping in close until they’re practically nose to nose. He lets his eyes flick down to Rhys’ lips and back up. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Rhys blinks, eyes widening, and Jack can see the beginning of a flush creeping up his neck.  _ Gotcha _ , Jack thinks. He’s so good he impresses even himself, sometimes.

Then Rhys steps back, disengaging his hand so smoothly Jack doesn’t even realize he’s done it. “Ah. Fiona said you might do this.” He turns partially away to catch an assistant by the arm. “Let hair and makeup know that Mr. Lawrence is here, ok? And track down Galetti, wherever she is - we’ll be ready to go when she is.”

Now it’s Jack’s turn to blink.  _ Fiona said- _ “She said I’d do  _ what _ ?”

Rhys turns back to him with a half-smile on his face. “Hit on me really really blatantly. I’m flattered - kind of - but we do have work to do, so let’s keep it professional, ok?”

_ That little shit _ . “Oh I’ll show you  _ professional _ , sweetheart,” Jack starts, but just then the assistant comes back with the news that hair and makeup is ready, and they’re wheeling the first rack out, and then it actually  _ is _ time to get to work.

That doesn’t mean Jack is done with Rhys. Not by a long shot.

This isn’t Jack’s first rodeo, or his fifth; he knows all kinds of ways to wrest control of a shoot away from the photographer while remaining on the other side of the lens. There’s the deliberate misunderstanding of directions, the challenging stare, the needling commentary in between shots. Jack’s done it before, and he won’t scruple to do it now; Rhys may be the one behind the camera, but Jack won’t hesitate to show him who’s really in charge here.

Only it doesn’t seem to be  _ working.  _ Rhys takes everything Jack throws at him with equanimity; nothing, not comments about Rhys’ hair, his stupid beanie, or even his mile-long legs dislodge that faint half-smile on his face. Oh, Jack’s getting to him; there’s a telltale flush sneaking up from underneath Rhys’ collar, but he doesn’t let Jack take control away from him, and he does it so subtly Jack barely even notices he’s being herded until Rhys steps to the side  _ again _ and Jack realizes that his blatant misinterpretation of Rhys’ instructions have put Jack in the best light in the room, just in time for Rhys to get what is probably an incredible shot.

For a second Jack thinks about deliberately ruining it, but when it comes down to it he’s vain enough to not want to  _ completely _ ruin the shoot. He does, however, after Rhys has gotten the shot he needs, let his face drop and deliberately rolls his eyes. He has a caustic comment about how _ long  _ this is taking all lined up when Rhys pointedly raises the camera and snaps a shot of Jack mid-grimace.

“What- what was  _ that _ for, that looked terrible, are you really that bad at your job?” Now Jack’s just annoyed. Rhys had been holding up so  _ well _ , but if he’s just going to throw away the shoot -

Rhys shrugs, half-smile still firmly in place. “I’m working with what you’re giving me. If you want to give me something better,” Rhys gestures at Jack. “By all means, go ahead.”

Jack frowns in the sudden echoing silence. He’s pretty sure no one’s talked back to him like this in years - well, no one besides Fiona and Tim -  and from the looks on the assistants’ faces, they’re not sure Rhys is going to survive it. Rhys doesn’t look fazed, though - he just raises his eyebrows at Jack, waiting.

Pretty  _ and _ with spunk. Oh, Jack  _ likes _ this one.

“Baby, I’ll  _ show _ you better.” Jack grins, and one of the assistants takes a visible step back. “Hold onto your dicks, ones; an eleven’s going to show you how it’s done.”

Later, Jack will look at the proofs from the second half of the session and admit that they are some of the best work he’s done in a while. He will also concede, grudgingly, that a lot of that is due to Rhys’ skill as a photographer. Right now, though, he’s busy throwing himself into the shoot, working the lights and the angles and silently challenging Rhys to keep up.

(And, possibly, trying to eye-fuck Rhys through the camera lens.)

Rhys keeps up; he more than keeps up. He matches Jack shot for shot, angle for angle, and the push and pull between them recedes into a rapport that Jack hasn’t felt with a photographer in a long time. The push and pull is still there, of course; but it’s more testing, more teasing than truly challenging, and at the end of the session Jack feels exhausted in a way he hasn't in a while. 

Rhys is sorting through thumbnails on his camera when Jack approaches him, back in his own clothes and with the heavy makeup wiped off.

“Nice shooting. Rhys, was it?” Jack knows it is, but there’s no point in letting this kid get too cocky.

Rhys looks up cautiously. “Yeah” He angles the screen toward Jack. “I think we got some really great shots, look.” Jack leans in, partially to get a look at the unedited stills and partially to step into Rhys’ space. To the kid’s credit, he doesn’t pull back; just lets Jack lean in without comment. The stills  _ are _ good; even on a tiny screen, without any professional editing, Jack’s gaze is clearly burning through the camera.

“Not bad,” Jack murmurs over Rhys’ shoulder. “You do private parties?”

Rhys  _ does _ pull away at that, but he’s smiling even as he rolls his eyes. “Do those lines work on anyone ever? I’m just curious.” He digs into a back pocket and comes out with a card that he hands to Jack.

“There. Fiona’s got my contact info of course, but - that’s my number.” Rhys blushes faintly, the first real reaction Jack’s gotten out of him all afternoon. “For private parties.” Then the little shit has the gall to  _ wink _ at him before he moves away, calling across the room for someone to start packing up, the studio’s not paying for them to go over time, hurry it up people.

Jack turns the card over in his fingers, letting the bustle of the crew flow around him, and grins to himself. He’s going to have to clear his calendar - he sees a  _ private party  _ with an up-and-coming young photographer happening  _ real _ soon.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me at [ThirtySixSaveFiles](http://thirtysixsavefiles.tumblr.com) on Tumblr!


End file.
